The invention relates to a wheel hub with a wheel flange that extends in the radial direction and has fastening holes, with a cylindrical projection extending from the wheel flange in the axial direction on the vehicle side for at least partial holding of a rolling bearing, and with a centering device that is arranged concentric to the rotational axis of the wheel hub in the axial direction on the wheel side and is provided for holding a wheel rim and/or a brake disk. The invention also relates to a wheel bearing unit with a wheel hub of this type.
Such a wheel hub or wheel bearing unit is used in the automotive field, in particular, in passenger cars. The wheel flange with centering device typically forms the interface for the rim or brake disk and allows the rim of a wheel to be centered on the wheel hub as easily as possible and then fastened.
A centering device on a wheel hub is typically realized by a hollow cylindrical body that is arranged axially on the wheel flange and is suitable for moving the rim/disk brake in the axial direction along the rotational axis. If the wheel rim is set on the centering device, then there is no further movement in the radial direction, which makes it possible to turn the wheel rim to the correct fastening position about the centering device until the fastening holes of the rim are aligned with the fastening holes of the wheel flange. Typically, the fastening holes of the wheel flange have an internal thread so that a positive and/or non-positive connection of the rim to the wheel flange can be created by bolts by inserting the fastening bolts through the fastening holes in the rim into the corresponding fastening holes of the wheel flange and tightening them there.
Such centering devices are already known in the prior art, for example, there is the patent application DE 10 2005 061 389 A1 in which just such a cylindrical projection is used as a centering device on a wheel hub.
On one hand, there is the desire to guarantee the simplest possible wheel assembly by using the centering device described above, but equally there is the desire for a wheel hub that has a very low weight and nevertheless can provide the required strength. Saving weight is also a central theme in the patent application cited above, wherein the wheel flange is provided as such with corresponding recesses that affect the stiffness only slightly or not at all and simultaneously provide for weight savings.